Orange Host Cal Thursday at 6PM

The Syracuse women's basketball team (14-3, 4-2 ACC) returns to the JMA Wireless Dome on Thursday night to host California (10-8, 1-4 ACC) at 6PM on ACC Network Extra. The Orange are riding momentum after a dominant road performance at Virginia, where they erased a six-point halftime deficit to secure a 79-60 victory behind Laila Phelia's career-high 38 points and Sophie Burrows' sharpshooting seven three-pointers.

Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack's squad enters Thursday's contest seeking their first-ever win against California, who holds a 2-0 series advantage. The Orange have been formidable at home this season with a 10-2 record at the Dome, and they'll look to extend their current win streak to three games on Thursday.

Freshman sensation Uche Izoje continues to make waves nationally, ranking fourth in the nation in total blocks (49) and fifth in blocks per game (2.9). The 6-foot-3 center from Nigeria has already earned four ACC Rookie of the Week honors and USBWA National Freshman of the Week recognition, establishing herself as one of the premier rookies in the country.

Syracuse leads the ACC and ranks sixth nationally in offensive rebounding (17.6 per game), a statistic that could prove crucial against California. The Golden Bears are struggling in conference play with a 1-4 ACC record, but they present a challenge with their balanced attack.

The Orange will lean on their veteran leadership trio of captains Burrows, Darius, and Phelia, who have been instrumental in Syracuse's emergence as a potential NCAA Tournament team. Currently projected as one of the last four byes in ESPN's latest bracketology by Charlie Creme, Syracuse knows every ACC game matters as they build their tournament resume in this competitive conference slate.

Tickets for Thursday's ACC matchup are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting cuse.com/basketballtickets.

For more on the Syracuse women's basketball team, follow @CuseWBB on social media.